The original Lexington battlecruiser concept covered far more than fighting enemy battlecruisers. The ships were intended for presence missions, reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance, and guiding a slower battle fleet toward the right target. Their size and appearance also served deterrence and naval diplomacy. A planned range of 10,000 nautical miles at 10 knots, together with an official carrier-form speed of 34.5 knots, supported economic warfare and distant scouting. The carrier story therefore begins with an information mission, with aircraft eventually taking over tasks once assigned to fast surface ships.
Chapter · 8:44-15:37
Lexington began as a battlecruiser for information warfare
The Lexington class was designed for reconnaissance, deterrent presence, economic warfare, and guiding the US battle fleet before the ships became carriers.